Young Blood

Definitely. His upside based on his already consistent start is really exciting. He joins a long list of players of similar same age who still have so much upside: all 23/24: Langdon, Harmes, Salem, Trac, Brayshaw, Lever, Fritsch.

I'd be interested to know Freo supporters thoughts on Ed. Clearly his career trajectory is pretty impressive for his age. Has genuine speed and endurance, numbers are good as a wing with marks and inside 50's. Certainly accumulates a lot of the ball. His ability to run and spread is what we're desperate for. I know his disposal is still the biggest question mark. He has a similar kicking style to Hunt and Frost which lacks a controlled ball drop. He was obviously a steal at pick 54 in 2014 due to not playing much footy with injuries. Freo would be gutted to lose him.

He had his best year and maybe was our best backman (behind Salem) but it wasn't like he had much competition with May, Lever, Hibberd and Jetta in and out of the side all year with injuries. Petty was swung up forward towards the back half of the year too so didn't get to see him much in his proper position. From the 10 or so games I watched of Petty at Casey and by reports he had a very consistent year and is building nicely. I think he was effective and most definitely improved this year but I think people are over rating him also. Sure he takes the game on and his speed and intensity help him in one on one situations but he absolutely kills you with his turnovers. 1/5 times when he does something exciting with the ball does it actually come off. He's not a natural kick and his decision making hasn't improved. I don't think this will change at Hawthorn. Now I was an advocate for holding onto him for depth even if it meant playing behind Petty. But clearly doesn't fit into our long term plans and there's a reason.

Yeah its possible but we've been after Tomlinson for a few years I still think we would have looked at Hill regardless. I agree re cost for him I imagine that would have been a deal breaker. Regardless he will either stay at a stubborn Freo or most likely end up at St Kilda who will probably end up having to pay overs for him. I've said it many times on here but how many times has a player not ended up at their nominated club?

Meh. If I had played the best season of my career and hadn't been offered a contract (or decent one) and knew I was leaving I'd probably be pretty [censored] off with the club.

I would honestly pull the trigger on Hill for pick 3 easy. How many players are there available with his talent that fill a desperate need for us? How many players of his level have we signed or traded for in recent times? I just think after the first two picks and Green outside of that is a bit of a gamble this year. We've got some young players developing and hopefully if we can hold onto it we will have first round pick to use next year. It's highly unlikely but if we could steal Hill away from St Kilda I would be ecstatic. He's 26 in the prime of his career and exactly what we need. He literally is a game changer, he can win games for you.

You rotate more then two players on a wing during a game. It's not like Hill and Langdon will sit on the wings permanently. All three of said players can play in the midfield at times. Tomlinson was recruited as a wing but he's a utility player with his size that can go back forward and pinch hit in the ruck reasonably.

Failure because the coaching department couldn't fix his greatest liability being his disposal and decision making? Or just for letting him go? I assume both maybe.

Yeah you probably didn't make it clear enough but thats cool. Was just pointing out that its frustrating how little we've been linked to players when there's clearly positions we need to fill. Talking about players that are contracted for 2 more years at their club with no word that neither player nor club have shown any interested in parting ways just seems a bit of a reach. But maybe your dees supporting mate who played with him has inside info?

He certainly has a little crush on Frost.

So there's some kind of chance he's gettable because another team inquired about him and Carlton shut it down? I keep opening threads thinking we've actually been linked to a player but its all just hypothetical, none of which have come to fruition. It's bumming me out! If it's Melbourne keeping tight lips on who they're interested in that's good I guess but its driving the demonland faithful a bit mad.

That's some promising feedback for a young player who was drafted based on potential to develop as a small forward. I only saw a few Casey games towards the end of the year but he had some good moments. Definitely needs to develop his body as he gets pushed off the ball too easily but is a competitive little bugger and loves the pressure, tackling part of the game.

I don't think he's worth signing at his age. I've watched him really slow down the last few years. He used to have decent 20-50m pace with leads and obviously has the strength in one on one contests but I don't think he's going to come back to the form he showed a few years back. However it is interesting to see if Melbourne will look to sign another tall forward for depth now that Smith and Keilty are gone. With Frost leaving Petty will move back as a defender. We have some depth with medium sized marking options in Fritsch, Trac, Melk and Hannan. But in terms of tall forwards it's pretty much McDonald and Weid.... The forward line was our weakest position last year and is looking worse pre trades this year. Tomlinson can float forward in bursts but hasn't shown any consistency there nor is that the position we signed him for. Hopefully we can make at least one move and Joel Smith + Vanders can get healthy to add to that list.

Second year blues. Kids still 19 and showed potential in his first year. Seems a lot of us really forget that we have teenagers or early 20 yr olds who need time to develop. We're still a young side. Its just a fact.

have we been linked with Jenkins? Did I miss something?

?

So some of you are writing off a guy who was drafted as a Category B rookie previously playing semi pro basketball. He was always a development project. Add that to the fact that he missed a large chunk of his first year with a groin injury, dislocated his shoulder the next year in his first game in the seniors wiping out his 2017 season. He was able to play as a third tall backman (alonside Oscar and Frost... yep) through the back end of 2018. Then gets ruled out for 2019 with the groin issues. Talk about having an awful run at it. But feel free to write the 23 yr old off. Each to their own.

Yeah sorry I was actually in agreeance with you re gus only leaving if he wanted out and was highlighting to others that this clearly isn't the case.

It's sounding like Carlton are the club to get involved to help the Kelly deal to West coast. Carlton has pick 9 which you wouldn't think would work as a straight swap for Gaff but maybe with a bunch of other players/picks involved who knows. I'd imagine it might help Carlton get Papley to them as well.... Regardless it's sounding like it could maybe even end up a similar situation to the three to four team trade last year involving Melb/Freo/GC/Bris where Hogan, May, Neale and pick 3 were used to get players to clubs.

Yeah and he clearly doesn't. Anyone who's been within an inch of the club would know how much Angus enjoys playing with this group. He has many close mates and is part of a young midfield with loads of potential. I don't understand why these rumours pop up and linger even after Freo have said theirs no interested (you assume they mean currently or aren't willing to give up whats required for him). But also the club displayed any desire to trade him either. Viney, Brayshaw, Oliver and Harmes are our midfield group all 25 or under yet to hit their prime. You would be stupid to make a rash supposed "bold" or "ruthless" trade to break up a group that has developed with loads of potential just because they had one off season overall.

this ? Not sure if he's officially nominated Carlton but when a player wants to get somewhere he pretty much always gets there especially if interest is mutual. Maybe we should wait until we're in a conversation to sign/trade for a player before all the hypothetical's? Maybe thats a silly thought. Side note: The Jamie Elliot thread got to almost 2000 posts to no avail...

Why are we talking about Salem in a Sam Frost thread? Are you joking about Salem? Had a very consistent year. I definitely wouldn't say his form fell away poorly. The team lost 7 straight to end the season. I don't think we're in a position to start nitpicking at our best players. If so we may as well start discussing Clayton's incredible ability to win the ball but do little with his possession...

I think Tomlinson's kicking is above average but I really fear for Langdon's disposal. Has a similar kicking style to Hunt/Frost. Hopefully it's not too late for him to change/improve it.

You sound liked you're pretty convinced the club isn't going after a 'gun small forward'. Do you have inside knowledge or are you just writing off the idea because of what you have heard in media/rumor reports pre trading period? Richmond have drafted well with their small forwards like Bolton and Rioli but they've also been lucky in drafting players who started in other positions and developed into other roles like Castagna (originally a backman). We on the other hand have been unlucky but with quite a few players who we drafted to play as small forwards not working out. Bedford is very raw I would give him a few seasons to mature. Chandler and Spargo are also 19 yr olds who will need a bit of time to develop surely. I get that you want to recruit 3 'gun small forwards' but it just isn't going to happen. We're looking at Jamie Elliot and I'm sure we are or have inquired about guys like Papley but we have other positions we need to fill. Tomlinson (tall marking wingman/HF) and Langdon (fast outside mid/wingman) are a good start.

Where I think he will be most valuable is his ability to mark and compete in the air from the wing position. We have a fairly small midfield and certainly no one that can consistently compete in marking contests. it's a luxury many clubs have with midfielders like Danger, Fyfe, Yeo etc. Our options down the line this year were pretty much Max or bringing a key forward up to the wing leaving us with one less marking option in the forward line. Tomlinson doesn't take a lot of contested marks but I've seen a lot of his games and he will generally half the contest and bring the ball to ground. Like I've mentioned before he might not have burst speed but his ability to run and spread in a system that thrives on this has been evident. His engine allows him to work his man and present well on the wings hence his consistent uncontested marking numbers. Finished 30th last year and 14th this year for marks across the league.